Non-Fiction Journal Responses

The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace
Jeff Hobbs
Page 137/416
1/12/15
Th author of this book, Jeff Hobbs, would appear on a serious and honest talk show with someone like Oprah. He met Robert Peace at Yale and was his roommate for four years.
1. How did you first meet Robert Peace?
2. What was your first impression of him?
3. What did he tell you about where he was from and how he grew up?
4. Did he talk much about his home?
5. What was he like in college?
6. Was the way he acted around you and other college students different from the way he acted around friends and family from home?
7. What was your relationship like with Robert?
8. How did you find out about his drug exploits during college?
9. What did you know about his relationship with his parents?
10. What was your purpose in writing this book?

The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace
Jeff Hobbs
Page 45/416
12/22/14
In the book, Robert was born into a situation he didn't create. His family was never very wealthy and lived in a small house in East Orange and Robert grew up on the streets of Newark. His father was a drug dealer and from his early childhood he was exposed to crime and drugs all of the time. To prevent him from following in his father's footsteps, his mother aspires to send him to private school. She strongly believes that private school will save her son from the dangers of Newark despite her family thinking that it is unnecessary and too much money.

An Invisible Thread
Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski
Page 231/231
12/15/14
In "An Invisible Thread," Laura befriends 11-year-old panhandler, Maurice. One day on the street he asked her for change. At first she kept walking, but something made her turn around and take Maurice out to lunch. After that fateful day, the two were the closest of friends. Laura supported Maurice in every way, making sure his basic needs were met and teaching him valuable life lessons. Maurice in turn gave Laura the great privilege of being able to love him and watch him turn into a wonderful man. Laura was nothing if not selfless and her generosity and care not only benefited Maurice, but herself as well. If there is one thing that the students of Columbia should take away from this book, it's that acting selflessly and genuinely caring about others more than yourself can end you benefitting you more than the other person. We get so wrapped up in ourselves - our grades, what people think of us, etc. -  and what we are going we sometimes forget to care about others. I know there have been countless times where I put my needs or wants above those of other people and I wish I didn't as much. Putting others above yourself can have endless benefits and can make you feel so much better about yourself.

I am Malala
Malala Yousafzai
Page 313/313
12/8/14
While I have always been a competitor with Malala in school I have never wished bad things upon her. She has done so much to fight for our school and for girls everywhere. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have my school or education. I love to learn and practice all of my subjects. School is my safe haven. Although I wish I could help Malala I'm everything she is doing in the fight for girls education her in Swat as well as across the globe, I know I cannot. If my brothers found out I they would surely stop me from going to school and I can't risk losing my education. It is one of the only things I can control. That fateful day when the Taliban came onto our bus and shot Malala as well as two others I feared for my life. I have never felt terror like that before. I started to understand why my brothers would not want me to help Malala and the cause of education for girls. I don't think thag before that day I fully understood what a risk Malala and her father were taking by doing what they are doing. I prayed for Malala every day after that and prayers that her spirit and cause would live on even if she didn't.
I Am Malala
Malala Yousafzai
Page 300/313
11/24/1
"I am Malala" discusses many perspectives and decision making processes throughout the book. One that stood out to me was the decision making process of the people who were, at first, advocates for girls education and later stopped publicly fighting for it. At first glance it seems like a cowardly thing to do. To stop fighting right when it gets difficult never accomplishes anything. However, looking at it from their perspective, you understand everything they were risking by speaking out for girls education. They didn't stop because it was too difficult, they stopped because they generally feared for their lives and those of their family members. Looking from this perspective brings to light just how much Malala and her father risked by speaking out and continuing to take a stand even while others quit.

I Am Malala
Malala Yousafzai
Page 261/313
11/17/14
Malala Yousafzai wrote her book "I am Malala" to reveal the problems with education worldwide and to help the children across the world who still struggle to get to school. Her book brings awareness to the children, especially girls, who are not being given the basic right of education. The book details her life before, during, and after the Taliban took over her region and then shot her for speaking up for girls education. She wrote this book to share her story and in doing that she opened minds and hearts, and shined a light on an extremely important issue.

I Am Malala
Malala Yousafzai
Page 214/313
11/10/14
In the past I have read more funny and comedic mon fiction books but in class I have started to look into more serious stories. I am looking for a book that i can relate to and that addresses issues that I can relate to. My previous non fiction book was "Into the Wild". I did not enjoy reading it and I couldn't relate to it well. It didn't really interest me. "I Am Malala" is about Malala Yousafzai and her struggle for womens rights and education. It addresses issues that affect a large population of people while "Into the Wild" only detailed the life of one person. It is very different from what I have read before but I think it will be a great read and I have enjoyed it so far.

Into The Wild
Jon Krakauer
Page 207/207
10/27/14
A person's book selection says a lot about them. In the case of "Into the Wild" readers want a sense of adventure. Following the story of Chris McCandles and his journey into the Alaskan wilderness provides readers with thrill and mystery without having to experience the actual dangers of surviving alone in the woods. Readers immerse themselves in the story of Chris McCandless and live vicariously through him. As he struggles to survive readers tense and hope for things to work out even though the odds are stacked against them. Readers are also looking to fulfill their desire for rebellion and spontaneity. While most people wouldn't give up all their possessions and leave their families to suddenly follow their hearts and live their dreams, by reading McCandless' story they can experience the next best thing.

Into The Wild
Jon Krakauer
Page 183/207
10/20/14
I met Chris McCandless, or Alex as I knew him, in January of 1992. He was filled up a water jug in town and then tried to hitch his way back to the bajada. I asked him where his camp was and gave him a a ride. We chatted along the way and I got to know him pretty well. My paternal instinct really came out when I met him. He was incredibly smart and at first I didn't think he should have been living alone with the drunks and other people living in the hot springs. I tried to convince him to get a job and make something of himself but he refused. "I'm not destitute," he said "I'm living like this by choice," (51). We spent a lot of time together the next few weeks. I even thought him what I knew about leather making. Alex made a belt that he carved his story into. We met up again a few time in California and wrote frequently. I often thought about adopting him. I was devastated when I heard Alex had died. I had been living in his old camp site when another hitchhiker tole me the news. I was so angry. I didn't understand how this could have happened. I renounced God and became an atheist. I didn't want to believe in a god who would let such a terrible thing happen to Alex. I began drinking again. I drank until I was sick, hoping it would kill me.  - Ronald Franz

Into The Wild
Jon Krakauer
Page 159/207
10/13/14
An important event in the book is when Chris McCandless discovers details about his father's previous marriage and divorce. When he passes through El Segundo neighborhood in California, where he spent most of his early childhood, Chris learns new facts about his father that he hadn't been privy to before. His father, Walt, separated from his first wife Marcia but continued to have a relationship with her long after falling in love with his second wife and Chris's mother, Billie. Walt then fathered another son, Quinn, with Marcia. With the birth of Quinn, Walt's double life was brought into the light and both families suffered from the lies and deception. Soon after, Walt officially divorced Marcia and legally married Billie. The family put the past behind them and tried to forget but Chris brooded about the events for decades. These discoveries fueled Chris's anger at his father and family. He resented Walt and struggles to forget and forgive him. Krakauer writes that his anger towards his father is one of the reasons he decided to backpack across the country an into the Alaskan wilderness. As he harbored his resentment towards his parents, his anger at all injustice grew as well. His anger and resentment towards his parents and the world at large greatly affected his mentality and behavior later in life. He held most people he met to a high moral standard and expected a lot from people. These past experiences contributed to his motives for trekking and backpacking across the country and camping alone in the wilderness.

Into The Wild
Jon Krakauer
Page 122/207
10/6/14
Jon Krakauer's purpose for writing "Into the Wild" was to provide a more detailed account of the life of Chris McCandless and give reasoning for his actions leading up to his death. Before writing this book, Krakauer reported about Chris McCandless' death and published an article in Outside magazine. When he was doing research for his article, he became fascinated by McCandless' story and found many parallels and connections with his own life. After writing the article for Outside, Krakauer received many letters about Chris's death and people wanted to know more about the story. In his author's note, Krakauer stated that his purpose is not to give an objective biography of McCandless, instead he says that because Chris's story struck a personal not with him, he will interrupt the story with narrative pieces from his own life in and attempt to "throw some oblique light on the enigma of Chris McCandless." Jon Krakauer intended to tell the story of Chris McCandless' life and death with a personal twist that added a unique perspective on the story. I think Krakauer was successful in achieving his purpose. He provides in depth information about everything that happened leading up to Chris's death and the accounts and testimonies by people McCandless met on his Alaskan journey shine light on his personality and give the reader an inside look at Chris McCandless' mind. Krakauer writes in a way that lets the reader form their opinions about McCandless and his journey into the wild and lets them speculate about his reasons for doing so while also providing factual information about his life.

Into The Wild
Jon Krakauer
Page 92/207
9/29/14
"Into the Wild" discusses the issues of self-reliance, nonconformity, and the importance of free thought. McCandless began his Alaskan journey because he strongly believed in relying on yourself and not conforming to society. He felt very disconnected from his life at home in the affluent suburbs of Washington D.C. He rejected the lifestyle the majority of the country, including his family, chooses to accept. He was anti-materialistic and believed a person shouldn't own more than the essentials; before starting his journey across the country, he abandoned all of his material possessions and money. In order to live the life he wanted, one free from society's limitations, free from the pressures of family etc, he hitch hiked to Alaska to be alone with his thoughts. On his way, he encountered many people who thought he was crazy and didn't quite agree with Alex's opinions and values. He was an individual like no other who refused to conform to others' standards. Once when he was holding a temporary job at McDonald's to make some extra money for gear, he was told that he needed to bathe more often and he promptly quit and was never heard from again. While I think it is important not to blindly follow and conform to society's expectations and standards and I admire his determination and persistence in sticking to his goals and values, I don't know if I would go as far as to completely remove myself from civilization to not conform. I think that while it is hard to be yourself and think freely under the standards set by society, it is possible and doing so in the midst of people trying to conform might make a bigger impact on more people than just leaving.

Into The Wild
Jon Krakauer
Page 35/207
9/21/14
I will read almost anything that anyone gives me but I have always preferred fiction books. I like entertaining plots that are not necessarily realistic, but are still relatable. Most of the few non-fiction books I have read have been comedic autobiographies or memoirs such as "Bossypants" by Tina Fey and "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and Other Concerns" by Mindy Kaling. "Into the Wild" was recommended to me by a friend with a similar taste in books and although it is different from what I normally read I look forward to getting deeper into the story. I am very interested in why Chris McCandless wanted to abandon all of his possessions and live int he wilderness and I think the mystery in the book is what will make it good.